UVA School of Medicine

Medical Alumni Association and Medical School Foundation Executive Director Associate Dean for Medical Alumni Affairs Barry J. Collins Associate Director Linda Weldon Executive Assistant Harsha Solanki Associate Director for Marketing and Communications Liz C. Taylor Director for Constituent Relations Sarah Brown Rothschild Associate Director for Constituent Relations Hillary B. Cocke Constituent Relations Associate Andrea Wasiewski Constituent Relations Assistant Iris Hosey Luck Vitals Managing Editor Liz C. Taylor Contributors Josh Barney, Linda J. Kobert, Brian Murphy, UVA Health System Marketing Photography Sarah Brown Rothschild, Jackson Smith, Coe Sweet, Liz C. Taylor, UVA Health System Marketing Cover Jackson Smith Volunteer Editor Leah Gibbs Design © Anne Hilton Vitals is produced twice annually, in the spring and fall, by the University of Virginia Medical Alumni Association and Medical School Foundation. Deadline for submissions for the Fall 2017 issue is August 14, 2017. The MAA/MSF reserves the right to edit all submissions for length and content. Please send submissions and other correspondence to: Managing Editor Vitals University of Virginia Medical Alumni Association and Medical School Foundation PO Box 800776 Charlottesville, VA 22908-0776 434-924-1734 medalum @ virginia.edu UVAMedAlum.org ©2017 University of Virginia Medical Alumni Association Medical School Foundation On the Cover Craig L. Slingluff, Jr., MD '84, and Victor H. Engelhard, PhD, at the Beirne B. Carter Center for Immunology Research. Photo by Jackson Smith fromthedean I nnovation comes from the brain. Compas- sion comes from the heart. I count myself lucky to be able to work in a place where the brain and the heart collaborate regularly. The field of immunology has become one of the hottest areas in medical research and its applications are far-reaching—cancer, multiple sclerosis, AIDS, allergies, diabetes, autoimmune disorders and more. Using immunotherapy, Dr. Victor H. Engelhard, director of the Beirne B. Carter Center for Immunology Research, and his research collaborator, Dr. Craig L. Slingluff Jr., of the UVA Cancer Center, have developed an experimental vaccine to battle melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer. This cutting-edge immunotherapy has scientists harnessing the immune system's power to fight the disease. It makes us rethink how we understand and treat the disease. For patients, including our colleague Irv Kron, MD, this vaccine is a game changer. And while as physicians we are trained to heal, the unfortunate reality is that there are times when treatments and procedures are not enough, when no more healing can be done. Only comfort and compassion remain. The School of Medicine is teaching students how to deal with these situations. Four years ago, the HeArt of Medicine was created by our medical students who felt unprepared when facing end- of-life situations. This inter-disciplinary effort helps students understand their own feelings on death and dying, as well as the physiology of dying and how to navigate difficult con- versations surrounding end-of-life care. This program has expanded greatly, is part of the official curricula, and—as it pairs medical and nursing students—is a great example of inter- professional education. The HeArt of Medicine aims to improve the quality of end-of-life care by fostering collaboration among students and to expand their knowledge through an arts- based platform, open dialogue, and educational events. You can read more about both of these stories beginning on page 10. You'll also want to be sure to take a look at the annual Impact Statement at the end of this issue. Our alumni—you—continue to make a real difference in our students' lives. During the 2016-17 academic year, we received $2.7 million in endowment support, which includes $1.7 million in scholarship assistance. This is outstanding generosity and I cannot thank you enough. These donations allow us to attract the absolute best—both students and faculty. Thank you for your continued interest in UVA School of Medicine. With philanthropic dollars like these, we can continue investing in the future of innovation and compassion. David S. Wilkes, MD Dean, UVA School of Medicine James Carroll Flippin Professor of Medical Science Innovation comes from the brain. Compassion comes from the heart.

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